For the first time in more than a year, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital says it has no COVID-19 patients hospitalized.
The last COVID-19 patient at the hospital was discharged Tuesday, May 25, with Dr. Bud Lawrence, chair of the hospital’s COVID-19 Task Force, calling it a “great day.”
“I’ve been waiting for this day for so long,” Lawrence said. “This is a great hallmark moment for us to really appreciate this time where none of our community members are sick (with COVID-19) in the hospital.”
It’s been nearly 15 months since Henry Mayo reported its first COVID-19-positive patient March 13, followed by the first hospitalization of a COVID-19 patient just over a week later.
Although Lawrence said the hospital is likely to treat COVID-19 patients, as this isn’t the end of the pandemic, it still marked a major milestone, with COVID-19 figures continuing to decline in the SCV as more and more vaccinations are administered.
“We have to really be very proactive as we move forward, but (we’re) cautiously optimistic,” Lawrence said.
Lawrence went on to urge the Santa Clarita Valley community to remain vigilant and continue following public health recommendations to keep transmission rates low, noting that residents should look first to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for local guidance.
“What’s said on a national level or state level doesn’t necessarily mean that’s what’s going on at the county level,” Lawrence added. “It really matters what the L.A. County Department of Public Health says in terms of what we’re allowed to do.”
Lawrence also suggested residents look to their physicians for advice, as they are great resources for patients to help make decisions, especially when it comes to the vaccine.
As of Friday, 60.6% of the SCV’s 16 and older population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to Los Angeles County Department of Public Health data.
Nearly every city of Santa Clarita resident over the age of 65 (99.0%) have received at least one dose, while 63.6% of the city’s population of those over 16 have been vaccinated.
Public Health officials also released the following updated COVID-19 statistics Wednesday:
New COVID-19 cases reported in L.A. County in the past 24 hours: 205
Total COVID-19 cases in L.A. County: 1,239,280
New deaths related to COVID-19 reported: 11
Total COVID-19 deaths in L.A. County: 24,194
Hospitalizations countywide: 319; 21% of which are in the ICU.
Hospitalizations at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital as of May 26: 0, with 1,239 discharged since the onset of the pandemic.
COVID-19 cases reported in the Santa Clarita Valley in the past 24 hours: 4, 2 of which came from the city of Santa Clarita.
Total COVID-19 cases in the SCV: 27,825
Total COVID-19 deaths in the SCV: 303
Percentage of vaccinated people (at least one dose) in the city of Santa Clarita as of May 21: 63.6%
Percentage of vaccinated people (at least one dose) in the SCV as of May 21: 60.6%
